WSU’s Jazz Invitational will make for an exciting start to the Festival, and will feature guest artist Dennis Mackrel, a world-renowned drummer and alumnus of both the Count Basie Orchestra and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Featuring nearly twenty high school and college bands spread across two venues on WSU’s campus, the Invitational will be capped-off with performances by the Mid-Kansas Jazz Ensemble and WSU’s Jazz Arts Ensemble 1, both featuring Mackrel on drums.

5:30p - Mid-Kansas Jazz Ensemble

The Mid-Kansas Jazz Ensemble is an auditioned group made up of the top high school jazz musicians in south-central Kansas. MKJE provides students with a chance to meet and play with other talented and passionate young jazz musicians. MKJE rehearses weekly on Monday nights, from 7:00–9:00 p.m at Wichita State University. The group typically performs one or two concerts per semester. In past years, MKJE has also performed at the Wichita Jazz Festival and Wichita Riverfest. MKJE students will get a chance to spend time rehearsing and performing with a special guest artist.. Past guest artists have included jazz luminaries Mike Steinel, Brad Leali, Pat Bianchi, Wycliffe Gordon and this year the group will collaborate with drummer Dennis Mackrel. Auditions take place in September each year.

6:00p - Jazz Arts Ensemble 1

“The Jazz Arts Ensemble is a traditional 19-piece big band jazz ensemble selected each year through an audition process. WSU's Jazz Arts Ensemble is part of the Jazz Studies curriculum, and the ensemble puts on two on-campus concerts each semester. The Jazz Arts Ensemble may also perform at public and private functions throughout the Wichita Community, and for WSU special events. Jazz Arts has consistently been selected to perform at state, regional and national conferences, and festivals and has performed with notable guest artists. The repertoire of the ensemble consists of high-level arrangements of varying styles, including swing, Latin, rock, and pop charts, as well as new compositions. The Jazz Arts Ensemble welcome the opportunity to work with arrangers and composers on new projects.”

6:30p - Doors

7:00p - WJF Sessions Combo Opener

An "all-star" group featuring the top high-school-aged jazz musicians in the Wichita area.

7:30p - Show

At the age of 18, Rudy Love was touring the US with Little Richard. By the 1970s, he was working as a pilot vocalist for The Temptations and Marvin Gaye, his songs were being recorded by Esther Phillips and Isaac Hayes, and he was appearing on records with Ray Charles and Sly Stone. Yet, his solo career and the albums he produced with his Love Family band failed to achieve success, due partially to dodgy record label practices that saw his recordings distributed under the names of other artists. Now, at the age of 70, Rudy Love is beginning to see his work rediscovered by artists including Jay-Z, and is finally achieving the respect he has long deserved.

Featuring interviews with legendary musicians George Clinton and Mick Fleetwood, THIS IS LOVE is a story of artistic struggle told with a sense of redressing past injustices. Exposing the shady industry wheelings and dealings that stretched throughout the 1960s and 1970s, John Alexander's documentary tells Rudy Love's story with deep respect for an incredible artist, and shows Rudy now, still going strong and filled with the love of music that has made his life's work celebrated amongst enthusiasts worldwide.

6:00p - Dinner (Dinner & Show - Includes premium seating near the stage)

7:00p - Doors (Show only)

7:30p - Show

Donna Tucker’s life was destined to be intertwined with music. She began her music career so long ago, she has no memory of those early-day lessons. She was young, but so talented. She has fleeting glimpses of a teacher lifting her to the piano bench as her mother hovered in the next room. When she entered kindergarten, she had already been playing piano for two years. She was as familiar with music during that time as other girls were with dolls. When the teacher needed piano assistance during those early years, Donna was always at her side.

As she matured, Donna began woodwind instrument studies with a fascination for the oboe … to this day, she continues to play and study the oboe. Instrumental study was an unspoken rule within her family as her great grandmother was a concert pianist who performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra in the 1800’s.

Donna moved to Dallas, Texas following her studies at Kansas State University and embarked upon a career as a singer/musician and commercial television talent. Over a period of eleven years, she was a spokesperson for the Southland Corporation parent company of 7-11 stores and traveled the United States and Canada performing concerts and introducing preview of the company’s newest products.

When she was not on the road with 7-11, Donna performed with the Woody Herman Band, Dallas Jazz Orchestra, Jerry Lewis Telethons, and many others. She performed in the National March of Dimes Telethon, Filmed and produced in Los Angeles … along with a Los Angeles Summer Olympics performance on the Queen Mary. All this while continuing a heavy performance schedule at the renowned ARTHUR’S in Dallas.

In 1999, Donna signed a long running contract with the Westin Tokyo, in Japan, as a headliner. While living in Tokyo three months at a time, she performed 6 nights a week in the Compass Rose, a major club in downtown Tokyo. That gave Donna the recognition of being the highest contracted performer at the Westin within a ten year period. Many of the audiences included members of the Emperial Royal Family, diplomats from around the world, as well as guests who would book their business trips to Tokyo, knowing Donna Tucker would be performing at the hotel.

After living in Dallas for seventeen years, Donna and her family moved to Kansas, Tucker’s home state, and she continues to travel, performing in venues ranging from small intimate rooms to larger performance theatres with big bands and orchestras.

Along with her performing schedules, Donna continues to take the time to encourage young aspiring artists to follow their dream. For Donna, a girl from Kansas … the world has truly been her stage.

RIGHT AS THE RAIN and ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT are Tucker’s two CDs which can be viewed/purchased at itunes.com and cdbaby.com as well as online sites in Europe, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

6:30p - Doors

7:00p - Delano Jazz Orchestra Opener

8:30p - Show

Bill Frisell’s career as a guitarist and composer has spanned more than 35 years and many celebrated recordings, whose catalog has been cited by Downbeat as “the best recorded output of the decade,” including his recent albums for Savoy - Sign of Life with the 858 Quartet, Beautiful Dreamers, All We Are Saying, a collection of John Lennon interpretations and his debut release for OKeh/Sony Masterworks, Big Sur, featuring music commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival and composed at the Glen Deven Ranch in Big Sur, for strings, guitar and drums in a quintet comprised of long-time musical associates.

Frisell’s latest album for Okeh/Sony When You Wish Upon a Star, a project that germinated at Lincoln Center during Bill’s two-year appointment as guest curator for the Roots of Americana series (September ’13 – May ’15). It features Frisell with vocalist Petra Haden, Eyvind Kang (viola), Thomas Morgan (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums) performing Frisell’s arrangements and interpretations of Music from Film and Television. Jazz Times described the project as follows: “unforgettable themes are the real draw here, reconfigured with ingenuity, wit and affection by Frisell and a terrific group.” The touring version of the band includes Haden, Morgan and Royston.

Always on the lookout for opportunities to "dig around for where I'm coming from," Frisell’s recent project, the Grammy nominated GUITAR IN THE SPACE AGE!, is an homage to the inspirational popular music of his formative years made in the wake of “the birth of the Fender Telecaster guitar” - (1951, the same year as Frisell’s own birth) - that, he recalls, "got me super fired-up" about his instrument of choice. Frisell and his band mates explore material on the Okeh/Sony Masterworks release associated with The Beach Boys, Junior Wells, Pete Seeger, The Byrds, Duane Eddy, The Ventures, The Kinks, Chet Atkins, Link Wray, Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant, The Astronauts, Merle Travis, Johnny Smith and others, as well as original material by Frisell.

“Frisell has had a lot of practice putting high concept into a humble package. Long hailed as one of the most distinctive and original improvising guitarists of our time, he has also earned a reputation for teasing out thematic connections with his music... He has drawn recent, long-form inspiration from the rural portrait photography of Mike Disfarmer and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927… There’s a reason that Jazz at Lincoln Center had him program a series called Roots of Americana for its coming season.” Nate Chinen - New York Times

Frisell’s Nonesuch output spans a wide range of musical expression, from original Buster Keaton film scores, to arrangements for extended ensembles with horns and strings (Blues Dream, History, Mystery, Unspeakable); collaborations with bassist Viktor Krauss and drummer Jim Keltner (Gone, Just Like a Train, Good Dog, Happy Man); an album with Nashville musicians (Nashville), a solo album (Ghost Town)), a collection of traditional American folk songs and originals inspired by them (The Willies), and two trio albums with jazz legends - Dave Holland/Elvin Jones and Ron Carter/Paul Motian. The Intercontinentals blends Frisell’s brand of American roots music with Brazilian, Greek, and Malian influences. Disfarmer was inspired by the work of the mid-century rural Arkansas photographer Mike Disfarmer.

Recognized as one of America’s 21 most vital and productive performing artists, Frisell was named an inaugural Doris Duke Artist in 2012. He is also a recipient of grants from United States Artists, and Meet the Composer, among others. Upon San Francisco Jazz opening their doors, he served as one of their Resident Artistic Directors. Most recently, Frisell was commissioned to compose and perform a new composition in San Francisco by the Freshgrass Festival.

Delano Jazz Orchestra

Musical Director: Bill JohnsonThe Delano Jazz Orchestra has all you want in great swing and Big Band Jazz music. Their concerts feature music from all the Big Band greats. The music ranges from Stan Kenton's Star Spangled Banner to Count Basie's Sweet Georgia Brown and a whole lot more. The Jazz Orchestra is a Wichita and Mid-West jewel! If you like Big Band Jazz (and who doesn't) join them at the 2019 Wichita Jazz Festival.

A fitting closure to the 2019 Wichita Jazz Festival. What better place to hold it than where Wichita Jazz has its roots: historic McAdams Park and Neighborhood? There will be a food truck (or two) or bring a picnic lunch (weather permitting) and sit back and listen to Wichita talent as it is displayed on stage. Hear from Sessions, a young jazz group composed of the area’s best high school musicians mentored by Wichita-Newton jazz greats. In addition to that fun, the fabulous Macy Brothers will perform and Wichita’s own Delano Jazz Orchestra will take you back in time to the Big Band Era of Jazz. This event is a reminder of McAdam’s invaluable contribution to Wichita’s jazz history, as well as America’s jazz legacy.

WJF Sessions Combo

An "all-star" group featuring the top high-school-aged jazz musicians in the Wichita area.

Macy Brothers Quartet

A "don't miss" Blues/Jazz band and a crowd favorite in Wichita venues.

Delano Jazz Orchestra

Musical Director: Bill JohnsonThe Delano Jazz Orchestra has all you want in great swing and Big Band Jazz music. Their concerts feature music from all the Big Band greats. The music ranges from Stan Kenton's Star Spangled Banner to Count Basie's Sweet Georgia Brown and a whole lot more. The Jazz Orchestra is a Wichita and Mid-West jewel! If you like Big Band Jazz (and who doesn't) join them at the 2019 Wichita Jazz Festival.